Wellington, New Zealands capital city (and you all thought it was Auckland, me too!). Well what can I say about the place?? Well first of all I have to say that it's lovely, I could definately live here, it reminds me a little bit of San Francisco, No really! the CBD (central business district) is full of lovely shops and massive sky scrappers and its got a real cafe culture to it, it has a real European feel to it. The houses all look like they should be in San Francisco and are made of wood and its set in the most amazing bay (more on that later), it has tons of plants and flowers everywhere and wait for it its built (just like S.F) on a series of dramatic hills. this may nor be the biggest city in new Zealand but is defiantley the prettiest and friendliest.

Woke up today at 9am (very late in back packer world!) , I needed it after my previous nights escapades in Turangi where I managed to lock myself out of my room in the middle of the night. Despite setting off the hostels burgular alarm (on purpose!) 3 times!! no-one came! not the police, the fire service the owners, no -one!! I could have robbed them blind I was therefore reduced to almost knocking down a neighbors door to get some blankets and had to sleep in a chair, poor girl!. Still I have the company of a gorgeous cat...

Anyhow.....Today I went for a mooch around Wellington, the sky was bright blue and the sun was shining (no pollution or ozone here!). I went for a walk around the waterfront (via the odd frock shop!) the water in the harbour (like everywhere in NZ is so clear you can see to the bottom). At lunch time all the office workers come out of their skyscrappers, changed out of their penguin suits and went jogging! and wait for this some went kyaking in the harbour amongst the sky scrappers - what about that for work life balance??

My first stop of the day was the very 'talked up' Te Papa Tongerewa museum, otherwise known as 'our place' in Moari, New Zealand's national museum. Now I wouldn't call myself a museum type chick, in fact I usually hate the places full old relics, old battle axes in tartan knee length skirts and lots of 'do not touch' signs. But this place was AMAZING! if you ever get the chance to go to New Zealand I defiantly recommend that you go to this place it has everything form their National gallery so pieces were rather more err strange than others....One being a talking brown card board box, with stick on eyes! I'm sure Brian from Spaced made it! OR I must be a philistein! Anyhow, the maori collection was fantastic! it also went through the Whitangi treaty where the British and the tribal leaders from the 500 Maori tribes agreed on maori rights. there are however still tribunials taking place today regarding these rights. the treaty was ground breaking for the Maori's and has been fully embrassed by all New Zealanders, even the traffic signs are both in english and Maori